The Maelstrom That Kills God
by Houkaru Kisaragi
Summary: Amaterasu, the majestic goddess of the sun, never dreamed of saving a child who was able to wield her destructive powers. Naruto became a God Slayer, unleashed upon the world of magic.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or Fairy Tail.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
Chapter One: Prologue

"Mom, you never really tell me why are we both alone in this world?"

Amaterasu, the venerated goddess who stood atop the pedestal of supremacy, sat in serenity on her majestic throne. She was the sovereign of her sacrosanct realm and lived supposedly in solitude within her oriental palace. Her power was insurmountable, as she was the embodiment of peace and the holy harbinger of light.

The goddess was dressed in an elegant kimono, knitted with the finest silk. She wore an imperial tiara atop her velvet strands of mahogany hair and she had porcelain smooth skin to embellish her bodacious beauty. Her amber eyes gleamed vividly with life and her gait was aristocratic. She carried an aura of dignified grace as she smiled placidly at the child before her. "We are different from the rest, that's why."

"How so?" The blond child tilted his head in confusion; his sapphire eyes bored deeply into the goddess's.

"Well, this is my home. It is a plane of existence that belongs to me. A universe crafted, designed and moulded under my supervision. This is a world that suits my personality." Amaterasu sighed. "There are coexisting realities in this vast galaxy. However, realities are simply an illusion, albeit a persistent one. Remember that time when I told you about your existence?

The boy nodded sombrely. "You said that I'm not your biological son. You said that I'm the receptacle of chaos and all evil. So… why do you keep me with you after all these years?"

"Why not?" The goddess smirked.

Naruto snorted. "Because I'm dangerous. Am I not a waste of time for you?"

Amaterasu giggled jovially, before she broke into a guffawing frenzy. "I have time. It is trust and character that I need around me. Who you choose to be around you dictates what you are and who you will become. Time, to me, is just an object. It is lost time that I found precious. A lifetime in exchange for knowing what a child of prophecy is made of, that's a price I can live with."

"Child of prophecy?"

The goddess gave a saccharine smile. "A life that is lived for others is something worth living. That is life and it is simple. Humans simply insist on making it complicated. That's why I don't comprehend your kind. That's why I decided to adopt you."

Naruto was perplexed by Amaterasu's profound wisdom and tilted his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Mystery is the gift. Knowledge is the essence. Frustration is my amusement."

The blond deadpanned. "I must break this to you, mom. You, playing riddles and all that crap, make me sometimes wish to kill something."

"I'm glad you're controlling your urge." Amaterasu applauded joyously. "It is simply foolish to be hedonistic, don't you think?"

The boy rolled his eyes and trudged away.

"Naruto."

The boy halted in his steps.

"Dinner at six. Don't be late, or you will receive a spanking," the goddess chided.

The blond grunted and berated her incoherently under his breath. "So much for irritating mothers. She didn't even answer my questions! Stupid mo-"

"I can hear you!"

"Shit."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto sat on the railing of his balcony, mesmerised by the clusters of glittering stars decorating the granite sky. As far as he knew, he had been living with his surrogate mother in the celestial castle for seven years. His etiquette and mannerisms were drilled vigorously into him the day he discerned language; he remembered the uneventful day where he drew his overweening fearlessness and talked back crudely to his aggravated mother.

Let's just say things didn't go well.

One does not simply piss a goddess off and get away with it.

Truth be told, he feared an infuriated Amaterasu more than the end of the world.

Her anger was the epitome of apocalypse.

The boy chuckled fondly before he tossed a grape into his mouth.

The goddess, garbed in a dark blouse and apron, placed a saucer of fried tofu on the table and shook her head disapprovingly. "Naruto! What did I say about snacking before dinner, huh?"

"I'll do whatever I want, woman!"

Amaterasu widened her eyes in genuine anger before a cane materialised in her grasp. "Say that to me one more time, you rascal! I see someone is itching for a beating!"

Naruto swallowed his consternation and averted his timorous gaze. "I'm just kidding. Don't get angry too often. You'll get wrinkles."

The goddess deadpanned, "I'm immortal. I don't get wrinkles."

"Yes. Says the woman who spends hours in the bathroom cleaning her face."

Amaterasu blushed and furrowed her brows. "Did not! I only spend an hour. Is it unreasonable for me to take care of my face? Now shut up and eat your food, ungrateful brat."

The blond stared stoically at his steaming bowl of rice and muttered, "Mom, I want to become stronger."

The goddess blinked, registering the boy's statement that was laced with stern conviction before arching a questioning brow. "Why the sudden decision?"

"I want to be stronger, mom. Strong enough to protect… things."

Amaterasu giggled fervently as she covered her benevolent smile with her sleeve. "As your mother for seven years, I still don't understand what you are thinking in that strange mind of yours. What do you want to protect, hmm? Your girlfriend that I don't know about? Or that teddy bear I bought for you on your fifth birthday?"

"You."

A lugubrious silence intruded as she pursed her lips.

"You are the only family I have. You are the only person I know as well. I don't want to lose you," Naruto said.

The goddess smiled benignly as she ruffled his hair. "I will never leave you, silly kid."

Amaterasu sighed as she squeezed Naruto's cheek. "Very well. Like the kind mother that I am, I will teach you the real stuff. After dinner, I will show you why my brothers and sisters fear me. After all, I am Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess of Virtue and Harmony!"

The conceited goddess laughed theatrically.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"Show me what you've learned." The goddess folded her arms under her bosom and stood within a white chamber.

Naruto nodded and channelled magic into his arms. "Here goes nothing. Transform!"

The boy was enveloped by a blinding light before the commotion ceased and a doppelganger of Amaterasu materialised. The goddess acknowledged her son's achievement and applauded. "Your Henshin Maho **(Transformation Magic)**has shown significant improvement. I'm impressed. Next."

The blond dispelled his magic and clasped his hands in a prayer motion. Instantaneously, a mystical light illuminated from Naruto's palms and a handful of clones manifested beside him. Amaterasu surveyed Naruto's copies before she quipped. "Not as shabby as I thought. You're doing well with the Bunshin Maho **(Duplication Magic)**. That's good to know."

The goddess had to admit that her son was paramount in utilising magic, despite the fact that he contained a gargantuan amount of untamed power within his body. She was aware of the malevolent energy within Naruto. Amaterasu had nullified its nefarious magical properties and solidified the diabolical power into a lacrima before confining it with sophisticated seals within the core of the boy's soul.

Naruto grinned. "I am the best."

"Cocky, aren't we?" The goddess snapped her fingers and a scarecrow rose from the ground. "I believe I have taught you some of my favourite spells, haven't I? Being versatile is important. It gives you more alternatives. I want you to perform the Amaterasu Shiki Maho **(Amaterasu Formula Magic) **on this target."

Beads of sweat formed on Naruto's temples as he closed his eyes, concentrating immensely. _"The Amaterasu Formula Magic__is some of the toughest magic that I've ever learned. Without adequate practice, the user will risk self-destruction. And the time it takes to draw, calculate and measure the formulas is quite lengthy for my taste. It took me arduous torture in order to understand how to engineer the esoteric arrays. Why would mom even invent this kind of stupid magic anyway?" _

Naruto raised his hand and his fingertips ignited into burning effulgence before he started scribbling ancient runes in the air. Amaterasu marvelled as the target was encompassed with indecipherable script and the arcane magic erupted into a pillar of malicious hellfire. The goddess whistled in a mixture of bewilderment and awe as a rippling shockwave shook the terrain.

The blond panted in sheer fatigue as he debilitated his magic. The goddess sighed and studied the miniature pyramid of ashes, which was once the scarecrow, impassively. "Your Amaterasu Formula Magic requires more training. Very well. You want to get stronger, don't you?"

Naruto hesitated, but nodded.

The goddess opened her palm and an ominous globe of hovering black flame sparkled into existence. "Then I will bestow upon you my sacred magic. Do know that this magic is considered a forbidden prowess, granted to me by my father. It is not supposed to be inheritable; hence, it is considered a sin for me to teach you. Its destructive power is cataclysmic. Even I have not explored the depth of its power. This is the magic of providence, Kamien no Metsujin Maho." **(Divine Flame God Slayer Magic)**

"Is this the part where I get all excited and go, 'Wow! You're so awesome, mom!'" Naruto gestured in an exaggerating manner and smirked.

"Shut up and listen." Amaterasu huffed. "And listen carefully. The Metsujin Maho **(God Slayer Magic) **is fuelled with passion. The flames are alive. They recognise their master and only concede to a competent slayer. The flame will burn its wielder's foe and bring warmth to its allies. Remember, and remember well. Positive emotions will keep the monstrous fire at bay. However, if negative emotions are in the mix, the flame's anger is triggered and it will vanquish anything."

"So, you're saying I can't get angry?" Naruto stared incredulously at his surrogate mother.

The goddess shrugged and placed a hand on her hip. "Pretty much so."

"That's gotta suck."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
(Three years later…)

_**"His existence is bane to our world, Amaterasu. You know it."**_

The goddess shook her head. "He is my son. You don't have the right to disparage my choice!"

_**"What insolence? I am your father!"**_

"Aren't you supposed to be supportive of my decisions? I have decided to raise Naruto."

_**"He can never be a god!"**_

Amaterasu gritted her teeth and glared scornfully at the light, which shone upon her. "It doesn't matter."

_**"We are gods. It is forbidden for us to adopt humans. Simply raising one is already considered taboo. I'm sure you know about this more than I do. Do you think I don't know about the fact that you have transferred some of your soul into that wretched child's body? Huh? Teaching that boy our God Slayer Magic? Are you out of your mind?"  
**_  
"I trust that my son would not misuse my gift!" the goddess protested with an unyielding vigour.

_**"Don't you dare talk back to me, petulant child! The God Slayer Magic is the pinnacle of all weapons. Do you understand how drastic the ramifications could be? Look at those incorrigible dragons! They trust the humans and how do those cockroaches repay them? Those egocentric and avaricious humans stab them in their backs! You don't even comprehend the-"**_

"I do!"

_**"Clearly you don't. You are my dearest daughter, Amaterasu. But even so, that doesn't mean you gain privileges or prerogatives when you defy the law of the heavens! Those laws are inscribed and enforced for a reason! If humans use the God Slayer Magic, there is no doubt that they will use it as a tool for war! The God Slayer Magic is, without a doubt, a magic of catastrophe. However, humans cannot grasp the concept of the magic's true purpose!"  
**_  
"Who said they can't?" the goddess argued disdainfully. "I trust Naruto! After all, he is my child!"

_**"Child? Are you that naïve? Look at what the dragons did! Look at Acnologia! They entrusted him to protect both mankind and the dragon race, but what did he do? He turned his back on his own people and murdered thousands!"**_

Amaterasu fumed. "Naruto isn't like that! He is pure! Besides, he is the child of prophecy. He is destined for greatness! I know it! Perhaps he is the chosen one to defeat Acnologia and put an end to his terror!"

"_**I am not going to tolerate this impertinent behaviour from you, Amaterasu. I shall give you two options. You kill the boy and end this charade or you banish him from this realm. Make your choice. I won't forgive any impudence from you if you let this drag on any longer."  
**_  
~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto sat atop the rooftop, his feet dangling freely in the air. Amaterasu situated herself beside him and mimicked his action. They smiled as the empyreal blue sky was cloudless, a perfect visage of heaven. The blond peeled the skin of a banana and took a bite of the delicious fruit.

"Brat."

"What?" The boy was aloof as he swallowed a piece of banana.

"Do you think you are independent enough to live by yourself?"

Naruto cocked a brow. "What if I say no?"

The goddess slapped her son's shoulder and scoffed. "You're growing up now. Stop being a mama's boy."

"I'm proud to be a mama's boy." The boy huffed. "But I can be independent if I want. I know it."

"That's good. The sky is your father. The earth is your mother. If you're sad, just know that the sky and earth are your father and mother! They will hear you if nobody is around! Just remember that." The goddess beamed delightfully.

Naruto deadpanned before he fed the rest of the banana to his mother and smiled mockingly at the sky. "Hey! Hey dad! Can you hear me? Eh, dad! Dad! Hello!"

Amaterasu eyed the boy quizzically and switched her gaze at the sky too.

"Dad! Are you hungry? Hmm?" The blond stood up abruptly, before he collapsed on his knees and placed an ear on the ground. "Mom? Eh! Mommy? Are you cold? Do you want a blanket? Hmm? Are you thirsty? Do you want a drink? Hmm? What soup are you going to make for me tonight? Hey! Mom! Answer me! Hey!"

The boy scoffed and stared blankly at a sheepish Amaterasu before he settled down beside his mother. "So much for your ridiculous theory, mom."

"Well, every mother wishes for their son to grow up and become strong, don't they?" The goddess sighed. "You're not a kid anymore. You're what? Ten? Time to grow up, boy. No more mommy this, mommy that. It is time for you to make decisions for yourself and take responsibilities."

"I am doing those things," Naruto countered. "I see no point growing up."

Amaterasu sighed and smacked her son's head playfully. "It is a process everybody must go through."

"Do you need to go through it too?" Naruto rubbed his head.

"You would be surprised." The goddess sighed aloud, much to her son's annoyance. "Promise me something, brat."

"What?" Naruto arched a brow.

"Promise me that you will never misuse the magic that I have taught you."

The blond grinned. "What do you take me for? Of course I won't. You can count on it! Believe it!"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Amaterasu sighed for the umpteenth time as he stroked Naruto's bangs. The blond was in a peaceful slumber and oblivious of her presence. The goddess had loved the boy as if he was her own. She remembered fondly the day she found the spirit of an infant sequestered in a decimated mountain; Amaterasu sympathised with the child and picked him up.

She didn't expect the boy to be compatible to wield tremendous magic.

The goddess chuckled and kissed the boy's forehead. "I love you, Naruto. If only you were my own son. Forgive me for being a useless mother. I cannot be with you anymore. I know you have not seen the world before. I will transport you to Earthland. You will grow up to love and be loved. Your mother, me, will always watch over you. Please forgive me for breaking our promise."

The bells chimed and a breeze swept into the room.

A doleful tear dripped on Naruto's cheek.

The goddess resisted desperately to lament before she snapped her fingers. "Goodbye, my son. I love you so much."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

When Naruto awakened from his dreams, he found himself stranded on an isolated coastline. Mortified, he scanned his surroundings frantically and noticed the absence of his beloved mother. The palatial estate, which he once lived in, had vanished. In the midst of apprehension and panic, Naruto shot up and screamed in anguish for the goddess.

His response was the sound of crashing waves from the ocean.

When realisation struck Naruto, a plethora of tribulations overwhelmed him as he convulsed and cried in despair.

His mother had forsaken him.

It was as if an avalanche of emotions had crashed onto his shoulders and his heart ached bitterly at his plight. The blond fell in his knees and sobbed in despondence. His lips trembled uncontrollably as hot tears streamed down the curve of his reddened cheeks. The boy coughed and punched the soft bed of sand. His nightmare had become reality and anger had devoured his rationality.

"M-Mom… why? Why did you leave me? WHY? Argh!" Naruto clutched his head as a migraine struck him. _"W-What is this? I… I can't control-"_

The blond clenched his fist and roared aloud in vehemence. "Kamienjin no Dogo!" **(Divine Flame God's Bellow)**

Naruto's affliction, contempt and umbrage had agitated him to the extremity where azure flames sparkled from his sapphire eyes. Smoke emanated from the corners of his lips before he relinquished his wrath and fired a beam of pandemonium across the sea, unleashing a myriad of calamitous explosions all over the ocean. Naruto howled in sheer rage as a violent column of ferocious power rocketed to the sky.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Hades crossed his powerful arms and smirked menacingly at the commotion. He had detected an ungodly surge of furious energy in a distant island and it had piqued his curiosity. "Such terrifying power. I have never encountered the intensity of such pernicious magic. It is smothering the land and evaporating any residue of water in its vicinity."

A dimensional rift was ripped open from the atmosphere and Hades stepped across the mystical boundary.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

An inferno ensnared the vegetation and the wildfire from the netherworld incinerated the earth's crust. Dark flakes ascended to the sky as a maelstrom of malignant aura concealed the sun. Naruto stood at the epicentre of devastation, his eyes devoid of life as his unquenchable thirst for bloodshed escalated and he brutally continued his rampage.

"Kamienjin no Hanketsu!" **(Divine Flame God's Judgement)**

Naruto roared barbarically before he slammed a palm on the burning soil. Spontaneously, an unearthly tremor shook the world and geysers of scorching magma burst from the fissures. Naruto cackled manically as sentient flames engulfed his appendages.

Hades narrowed his eyes analytically before he clapped his hands, alarming the blond. "Intriguing, I must say. Legend foretold that a God Slayer will descend from the heavens to punish the wicked every millennium. I never imagined the day that I would stumble across a God Slayer. What is your name?"

Without hesitation or remorse, the blond thrust his palm forward and launched a tidal wave of sinister fire at the intruder. Hades dexterously activated a potent barrier to shield him from the assault and chuckled. "You must have mistaken me as an enemy. I can assure you that I am not. The God Slayer Magic is indeed powerful, godlike according to ancient text. However…"

An intricate magical seal appeared before Hades and a chain, equipped with a grappling hook, was discharged towards the boy. Naruto grunted in dismay as the offending projectile pierced through his shoulder and pinned him to a sturdy tree. "You are still a hundred years too early to beat me, boy. You may be potentially powerful, but a mindless beast can never hope to match an intelligent entity. You must learn to control your power!"

Naruto struggled to no avail.

Hades heaved a sigh and strolled nonchalantly towards the growling blond. "I sense a great turmoil in your heart, boy. At this rate, your powers will murder you. I can offer you a proposal though. If you wish to join me, I can teach you how to further control your hazardous powers and turn you into a formidable mage. If you join me, I will show you a utopia. The world of great magic is my dream, and I will gladly share it with you. What do you say?"

Naruto ceased his futile attempts to unbind himself and paid rapt attention to Hades.

"W-What is your motive?" The boy's voice was raspy, but audible.

"I intend to recruit capable allies for my cause. You can say our agreement is that of mutual benefits. You gain control of your power, I gain a great subordinate. So, what are you going to do, boy?"

"N-Naruto."

Hades arched a brow. "Sorry?"

"I am Naruto, not boy."

"Hades," the man introduced calmly. "I am the guild master of Grimoire Heart. Now that you have calmed down, let's discuss more about-"

"Can you at least let me down?"

Hades blinked before he grinned shrewdly. The chains vaporised and Naruto tumbled onto the ground. The blond nursed his wounds, and to Hades's stupefaction, the inflicted injury ameliorated at an astounding rate. Naruto cracked his knuckles and regained a demeanour of tranquillity. "So, what is a guild?"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"You will be sharing a room with Ultear-sama, Naruto-sama."

The boy glared inscrutably at the servant before he turned his eyes to a girl, who was unperturbed by his dispassionate gaze. The blond gestured for the servant to leave and dropped his duffle bag, which contained clothes and daily products that he had bought, via Hades's fortune, from various towns. "I take it that you're Ultear, right?"

The girl, who had an angelic pair of hazel eyes, raven hair, and a lithe frame, stifled a giggle. "I am. I guess we're roommates now, huh? Your bed is over there. Let's make this clear. This half of the room belongs to me. You can have the other half."

Naruto had an idea. "Since we're going to be friends, whether you like it or not, how about we start off by introducing ourselves? What do you say?"

Ultear blinked. "That sounds interesting. How do you want to do it?"

The blond took a seat and averted his gaze. "Likes. Dislike. Hobby. Dreams. Something along the lines of that."

"Well, as you know, I am Ultear Milkovich and I like magic." The girl shrugged. "I dislike many things. Besides training and polishing my skills, I don't have many hobbies. My dream is to kill a certain… person and be one with the world of great magic! Well, that's pretty much it."

_'Wow, she sounds like a lunatic." _Naruto blinked. "Uh… right. I am Naruto Uzumaki. I like… gardening and ramen. I don't particularly dislike many things. I have a handful of hobbies. I'm probably going to set up a little botanic garden somewhere around my corner of the room. I also love to invent new flavours of ramen! My goal is to find the truth of why my mother did _that_and how…"

The blond was in a daze as he drifted off into his thoughts. Ultear tilted her head in confusion before she coughed, breaking Naruto from his stupor. The boy scratched his head sheepishly and sighed. "Well, that's pretty much it."

"Mother, huh?" Ultear glared intensely at the ground and balled her shivering fists. Naruto was somewhat unsettled by the murderous gleam emitted from Ultear's eyes, as if she was provoked.

Concerned, Naruto ambled towards the disturbed girl and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Unexpectedly, she pounced on the blond and straddled his hip, while strangling him in a chokehold. "W-Why did you leave me? WHY DID YOU BETRAY ME, MOM? YOU SAID YOU LOVED ME! WHY!"

Naruto widened his eyes in a combination of trepidation and astonishment as he realised that the girl was on the verge of derangement. The blond tried to free himself, but he was stunned by the girl's inhumane strength. "U-Ul… tear… L-Let go!"

The girl regained her consciousness and yelped before she released her hold. Ultear retreated frightfully to her bed as the blond coughed and she exclaimed in distress. "I-I'm sorry! I… I couldn't control myself… I…"

Naruto hissed as he touched his bruised neck and sighed. _"This girl seems to be far worse than my current condition. Talk about mentally challenged roommates."_

"Do you… know about your mother?" the blond probed in a hoarse voice.

The girl nodded hastily and her lips peeled into a grimace. "Please… let's not speak about her anymore."

_"Okay, I guess her mother is the source of her… insanity. Mother, sensitive subject, noted. And I thought I have mommy issues." _The blond stood up abruptly and the girl bristled. "Relax, I'm not gonna hurt you. So, I heard from the old man that you practised the Arc of Time magic? Sounds pretty cool, if you ask me."

Ultear swallowed as she gathered her composure. "O-Old man? You mean Master Hades?"

"Ya." Naruto beamed; his infectious smile apparently had an effect on the demure, albeit slightly psychotic girl.

"Well, he told me that I had too much magic stored inside my body, so he taught me how to effectively control it." The girl sighed. "In order to forget my painful memories of my childhood, Master Hades taught me the Arc of Time. He told me that if he had successfully achieved the great world of magic, I can go back in time to erase my… pain."

Naruto raised a sceptical brow. "Right. Well, the truth is… I don't think I belong to this universe."

"What do you mean?"

The blond sighed. "My mother is the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu. I have been living with her in her kingdom for years. She taught me how to defend myself… and her signature magic. I am a-"

"God Slayer." Ultear finished and placed a few fingers on her lips. "Oh, sorry."

"You know about God Slayers?" Naruto assayed the girl dubiously. "What? Are God Slayers common in this… world or something?"

"No." The girl answered awkwardly. "I read about God Slayers from the Book of Ancient Tales. God Slayers have been recorded in that book and it's noted down how horrifying their powers can be. According to the details, God Slayers have been a myth. Some said your kinds is simply a fabrication from Dragon Slayers. I am… surprised that you are a God Slayer. You are telling me the truth… right?"

"Yeah, I suppose. But I won't call myself a God Slayer. At least not yet." Naruto cocked a brow and stroked his chin. "What's a Dragon Slayer?"

Ultear deadpanned, "You're raised by a god, right?"

"Goddess," the blond corrected.

"Yes. Those Dragon Slayers, according to legends, are raised by dragons. There wasn't much information detailing when the first Dragon Slayer appeared, but the archives did state that this world was once ruled by dragons."

"Oh." The blond nodded dumbly. "Wow. This world sure is weird."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

**"Do you know why you stand trial, Amaterasu?"**

"No, father. I only know what I did was right! I have nothing else to say," the goddess refuted.

**"For your crimes of transferring your powers of nigh-omnipotence to a mortal, you are hereby sentenced to an eternity of incarceration. You shall remain in isolation for the rest of your immortality, never to be in contact with anybody."**

"You can't do this to me! I am your daughter!"

**"Silence! Reap what you have sown, foolish girl!"**

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

This is my new story, which I've been planning for months. I'm not sure how it goes, so please rate and review. As for the undecided pairings, I have listed below.

1.) NarutoXUltear Milkovich  
2.) NarutoXErza  
3.) NarutoXIkaruga  
4.) NarutoXMirajane  
5.) NarutoXCana  
6.) NarutoXMinerva  
7.) NarutoXKamika  
8.) NarutoXJuvia  
9.) NarutoXKagura Mikazuchi  
10.) NarutoXFlare Corona  
11.) NarutoXAngel  
12.) NarutoXHarem

Please comment!


	2. Birth Of A King

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
Chapter Two: Birth of a King

Naruto, garbed in his combat gear, stood with a solemn disposition within a training facility. He flexed his wrists and stared menacingly at the horde of henchmen, armed with various weapons. He displayed his fortitude as he riled his foes with a taunting finger and a haughty smirk. "I will fall asleep if you guys keep staring at me."

The legion of goons hollered in excitement as they charged towards the blond. Unfazed by the assault, Naruto took a fearless step forward and blocked an incoming strike with both hands. The other ruffians were dumbstruck by Naruto's physical prowess before they broke their stupor and attacked the blond. Smirking triumphantly, Naruto seized his enemy's wrist and twisted it into an inhumane angle; his victim shrieked in pain.

"You guys better be sure if you want to ride this train." Without hesitation, the blond snapped his opponent's wrist, much to other assailants' consternation.

The hooligans stopped in their tracks and they were sweating in trepidation. Naruto grinned before he tossed the man away effortlessly in order to retaliate with a quick jab to his next opponent's gut. "I told ya, didn't I? You'll regret this."

Naruto stepped on his foe's head and ricocheted at an astounding velocity throughout the battlefield, obliterating the thugs without remorse. The blond's grin widened to a diabolical degree as he delivered a palm strike to his assailant's jaw, breaking it in the process.

Channelling tendrils of potent energy into his appendages, Naruto grunted as a serpentine tattoo blazed to life on his forearm. "I can't use this too often, but this will suffice. Ryujin no Hyakujuhachi Tenshou: Ryugasen – Zan!" **(Dragon God's 108 Divine Palms: Dragon Fang Flash – Disaster)  
**  
The blond thrust his palm at the antagonists and a series of devastating explosions occurred, annihilating a squadron of foes.

"Enough!"

Naruto halted his momentum and turned his attention to the intervener. The blond exhaled a laboured breath and beamed jovially. "Hey, old man! What do you reckon the rating of my awesomeness?"

"Excellent! Most impressive, I must say." Purehito, guild master of Grimoire Heart, crossed his arms as he assayed Naruto's demonic arm. "I am not aware that you possess something this destructive, boy. Enlighten me, boy; what is the mystery of that arm of yours?"

The blond cocked a quizzical brow and he shifted his gaze to his arm, which emanated tremendous power. "Oh, this? Hah, this is a little parlour trick my mom taught me. Trust me, it's not funny when I say my mom remodelled my arm and engraved the Dragon Banishing Insignia on my bones… literally."

Purehito gestured his subordinates to retreat, who obliged hastily as they scurried away in terror. "Dragon Banishing Insignia?"

"My mom told me something about using this arm to slay an adversary." Naruto clutched his throbbing bicep and sighed. "I never really asked her who the adversary is."

"Regardless, I'm sure that arm is a weapon of cataclysm." The guild master furrowed his brows. "But I can tell that you have not mastered that martial art. You can utilise it effectively, possibly to its fullest extent, but you cannot use it repetitively. In other words, you can only utilise it for a short while before fatigue consumes you. Your stamina and magical reserves are immense, but you have not discovered an efficient way to operate the technique."

"Efficient?" The blond scratched his temples in confusion.

"Learn to control the threshold of your magical capability and try not to release too much energy when you execute that technique." Purehito grinned in delight. "At any rate, I want you to expand your arsenal of skills. I give you permission to visit my sacred library. It holds secrets that I have been gathering for decades."

"Well, my trademark magic is meant for destruction, not for every day obstacles. Mom taught me about the importance of versatility. I don't mind expanding my horizons!" The blond yawned aloud and sniffed. "But, I'm kinda tired. Maybe next time…"

The guild master scowled in displease of the boy's lack of conviction. "Mages shouldn't just focus on magical competency and physical attributes, but should also be knowledgeable in battle strategies. If you wish to gain strength, you must stand unwavering and shouldn't let your heart turn fickle that easily under pressure."

"But reading is torturous!" Naruto whined.

"Torturous?" The guild master crossed his arm and huffed. "Foolishness, boy. While violence may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain power. Words offer meaning to perception, and for those who listen aptly, the enunciation of truth. If you speak witlessly, you will only be regarded as an expendable tool. I tell you this, words can deal blows much powerful than any magic."

"Reading is so not my forte." Naruto spluttered incoherent curses under his breath and conceded with a heavy sigh. "Fine!"

The blond spun around indignantly and stormed out of the chamber.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto examined the grand library in awe as the antique shelves towered over him. "I have to hand it to that old man. This place is friggin' massive! Even mom's personal study room isn't this ridiculously big! Where the hell did he collect all these books from? I didn't know that old man was such a nerd."

The blond pulled out a book, blew the dust from the cover and read the title. "Boido Meiku **(Void-Make)**? What kind of magic is that? What do you reckon, mom?"

The blond turned his gaze to the empty space beside him and smiled, only to blink dumbly at the aggravating silence. "M-Mom?"

When realisation dawned upon him, Naruto balled his shivering fists; he had always relied on Amaterasu's immeasurable wisdom when he was perplexed. _"Mom! What happened to you! Why did you leave me without any reason? N-No! Think properly, Naruto! Mom wouldn't do anything so weird without any reason! She does everything with a reason! She must have been forced to leave me! But why? Why would she-"_

Abruptly, a sharp pain stung Naruto's pupil. The blond shut his eye and hissed in distress. "W-What is this?"

"Naruto!"

Naruto shook his head, covering the agony with a placid façade as Ultear approached him in solicitude. "A-Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine. Just some past injuries acting up on me, I'll be fine. Don't worry." The blond improvised an ostensible lie while he gritted his teeth as his pain worsened. Groaning in dismay, Naruto suppressed his affliction and mustered a shaky smile. "What are you doing here?"

"Master Hades has given me rights to study in this library. He said that if I wish to further enhance my power, I must immerse myself in research." Ultear beamed. "Although I despise my… mother, I was born with the ability to mould elementary magic. After all, it is my inheritance."

Naruto groaned. "Elementary magic?"

Ultear smiled in poignant sorrow before she opened her palm. An ice sculpture of a rose materialised in her grasp, much to Naruto's stupefaction. "Whoa!"

"It's Aisu Meiku **(Ice-Make)**, the magic that creates objects with the composition of frozen liquid." The raven-haired girl sighed. "I would prefer not to use it though."

"Why not? It's so cool!" Naruto grinned and thrust a book at Ultear, his pain forgotten. "I want to try and learn Void-Make. Ice-Make and Void-Make might be different, but I'm sure the theories for both magic are the same. Just relying on these books ain't gonna help me much! I need a tutor. A person who can teach me. And that person has to be you. That old man has no time to teach me. Ultear, I really need your help!"

The girl blinked. "I… I don't know… if I can help you-"

Naruto held Ultear's small hand, flustering the raven-haired girl in the process. "I'm sure you can! Please, Tear-chan. What about me teaching you a few of the parlour tricks up my sleeve. I can teach you Henshin Maho **(Transformation Magic) **for a trade! How does that sound?"

"I…" Ultear averted her gaze timorously, but she couldn't help but find Naruto's persistent plea adorable. In the end, she conceded and nodded. "Okay, I'll help you."

"Yay! Thanks, Tear-chan! I owe you big time!" The exhilarated blond hugged the girl, who stiffened from his touch. Naruto gave a buoyant peck to Ultear's cheek.

She stuttered in shock, before she regained her composure and giggled.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"What do you think about those two children, Bluenote?"

Bluenote Stinger was an intimidating man with deranged features and a hooked nose; his outfit consisted of indigo shirt underneath his oversized coat that draped over his muscular shoulders. He stared impassively at the holographic screen that displayed the jovial interaction between Naruto and Ultear. "That boy has tremendous potential. I wouldn't be surprised if he surpasses you in the future."

Hades simply chortled. "I will hold him at bay. After all, every monster has a beauty to tame its rage."

Bluenote smirked malignantly as he surveyed Ultear. "So you purposely have him paired up with that girl in the same room, huh? You want to build an imminent chemistry between those two in order to keep a leash on the boy. That girl is borderline lunatic. However, her sanity can be kept in check if she has a companion. But, the boy doesn't really have a reason to stay, unless there is a catalyst. An ingenious plan, I must say."

The Grimoire Heart's guild master cackled deviously. "That is just part of the plan. Bluenote, you still haven't seen the icing of the cake."

"Oh? And what would that be?"

Hades simply grinned.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto groaned irately in displeasure as he failed to channel arcane powers into his hands. "Moulding magic is so hard! Who the hell invented this crap? It's even harder than mom's magic! Why are you able to do it so easily?"

Ultear hid her giggle at Naruto's antics and lectured in a sagacious manner. "As I said, I was born to mould magic. It is my talent. It's actually not that hard. Think of it like modelling clay. You have to shape your creation with the right amount of strength, texture and magical properties. If you intensified a dense quality of magic in your creation, the product will be solid and it will be a tedious task to shape to any forms you desire. Likewise, if you diminish the substance of your magic, your creation will be brittle and weak."

The blond squinted at the complexity of the subject and scratched his head. "So I must seek out the balance? It's harder than you think! Every time I draw out my powers, somehow, there is this stream of overwhelming energy flooding my veins."

Ultear blinked. "If that's the case, your receptacle is gargantuan. Every organism is considered a vessel of eternano. It is the source of our magical powers. However, civilians are unable to realise this fact because their reserve of eternano is insignificant. I believe your reserve of eternano is too large for you to utilise, that's why you're unable to manipulate it to the fullest."

Naruto stroked his chin and pondered. "Then how do you suggest I do it?"

"I believe crafting magic is great training for people like you." the raven-haired girl mused. "Aisu Meiku requires not just concentration, but imagination. You must be one with your element in order for you to understand how magic really works. If you want to learn Boido Meiku, you must blend into your particular element. I don't know about you, but perhaps because I can mould magic with ease, I don't really understand why you can't use it. You must try and comprehend the void element."

Naruto smiled in bliss. "Well, I guess I'll discover it myself. I have a way though!"

Without hesitation, the blond clamped his hands in a praying motion and a magical circle was activated. Instantaneously, a hundred clones manifested into existence before they engaged their magic core. "My Bunshin Maho **(Duplication Magic) **allows me to split myself into identical doppelgangers. I simply multiply into a hundred of myself. That means I can speed up my training regime by a hundred times!"

Ultear was dumbstruck as she stared with awe and admiration at Naruto's zeal. _"True, I've read about such magic before. But, in order to split into hundred of oneself, the individual must possess an insane quantity of eternano in order to withstand the drawback. It is, after all, a forbidden magic! But, I have never come across someone using the Bunshin Maho in such a… unorthodox way."_

"I promise you, Tear-chan! I will master the Void Make! Believe it"

Naruto's enthusiastic endeavour, somewhat, had roused a mixture of thrill and excitement in Ultear's heart.

She beamed fervently and pumped her fists in the air. "I will work hard to master the Arc of Time! I promise you too, Naruto-kun!"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
(A year later…)

Naruto trudged lethargically down the unpaved road of a tropical forest. He was dispatched to the Caelum Kingdom to retrieve substantial and credible data for his guild master. They had received absurd news that an atrocious bunch of contemptible nutcases had decided to reconstruct towers as a means to resurrect the sinister mage, Zeref.

The cultists called it, 'R-System.'

"And would you remind me why the hell am I here with you?" Ultear narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

"I'm bored; the journey is boring, this whole notion is boring and finding a cult of raving freaks is totally boring." Naruto quipped with an impish attitude. "And did I mention that I'm seriously bored?"

"Then why accept this mission?"

The blond shrugged. "Don't wanna be stuck in that gloomy place. It's suffocating me. I need fresh air. I'm sure my life is more than just an everyday routine of whacking targets and running laps."

"Right." Ultear rolled her eyes at her companion's lackadaisical attitude.

Suddenly, Naruto seized Ultear's shoulder and halted their steps. The blond pointed a finger at a broken wagon, piled with packets of treats, and a dilapidated house stationed in a sequestered forest. "Okay, if some idiots set that poor excuse for a trap and expect somebody to fall for it, they got another thing coming."

Ultear deadpanned. "Let's just ignore it and continue our way to wherever we're planning to go."

"Oh no, we don't!" Naruto exclaimed. "Whoever set that shit up is expecting us to just ignore their trap and continue that path! Which means that path is a trap! Like reverse psychology or something!"

The raven-haired girl raised a questioning eyebrow. "And you're suggesting?"

"Let's check it out!" Naruto beamed cheerfully before he skipped towards the wagon. Upon inspection, the blond gasped. "T-Tear-chan! Hey! T-These are… Pocky! And there's tons of them!"

"So?" Ultear scowled, masking her exasperation at Naruto's immaturity as she argued, "It's just snacks, that's all. What's so special about them?"

"Special?" The blond stared incredulously at the aloof Ultear. "These packets of Pocky are not just any snacks. They are treasure gold, goddamn it! They are snacks created by the gods for mortals to feast upon, you ignorant mortal! These snacks of wonder give us the opportunity to taste heaven itself. And believe it or not, this Pocky has an expiry date! I will not let it be wasted as mere baits!"

The raven-haired girl's eyebrow twitched vigorously before she glared at the blond. "What do you want to do with them then, mister I-know-it-all?"

Naruto furrowed his brow and growled furiously. "This is outrageous! Look at these packets! All of them are vanilla-flavoured! Where are the strawberries? What is this conspiracy?"

"Okay, this has to stop!" Ultear reasoned, "This is obviously a trap! And you're already falling for it! We gotta keep moving and stop procrastinating! If we don't leave, it won't be long before we really have to sleep in the forest. Again."

"One does not simply take away a man's Pocky without understanding the pain of losing something precious!" Naruto protested with an irascible tone. "This whole strawberry-flavoured thing ain't over yet."

Ultear deadpanned. "So you're telling me that you're gonna risk us getting involved in some pointless escapade just for you to find your strawberry-flavoured Pocky?"

Naruto nodded.

"I'm worried about your sanity."

"If you're in the ass-kicking business, you just gotta learn to enjoy the little good things in life." The blond retorted. "Besides, I'm sure nothing dramatic is gonna happen. What? You really believe a random group of fat wizards will randomly just pop up from some random bushes and threaten us with random pointy weapons?"

As if on cue, the shrubs rustled before a horde of corpulent mages emerged from the vegetation and surrounded the couple, much to Ultear's chagrin and frustration. "See what you did there?"

Naruto simply guffawed. "Wow! These fellas really let themselves go, huh? Well, shit just got real."

"Stop right there!" a mage yelled.

The blond sighed. "Well, I don't see a reason why I should listen to you."

"Hah! You two are stupid enough to fall into our trap, that's why!"

Ultear punched Naruto's shoulder playfully.

"Ouch! What's that for?"

"I told you that it was a trap. And you just can't resist walking straight to hell, huh?"

The blond pouted. "But you love me!"

Ultear's cheeks flushed a few shades of pink before she coughed. "It seems words won't get to them. We need to resort to magic, unfortunately. So, who's going to take the lead in this battle?"

"Well, a man of awesomeness would never allow a fine lady such as you to entertain triviality." Naruto bowed before he took a bold step forward. Beckoning the group of aggressive mages tauntingly, the blond grinned and limbered up with a few stretches. "I think I have a few minutes to spare. Now come the fuck on! I'm gonna bust all your asses! Boido Meiku: Tsuisutataron!" **(Void-Make: Twister Talon)**

Naruto thrust his arm forward and a magical circle, illuminating a glow of shimmering silver, materialised; tendrils of wind were launched towards the legion of his adversaries. The mages were unable to retaliate in time before the whiplashes of air pierced through their bodies and blood splattered on the unforgiving earth. "If you want to run a cult, at least lose some weight."

"The sun is setting, Naruto." Ultear stared at her companion impatiently.

"Ground-breaking. Tell me something I don't know." Naruto glared lividly at the remaining mages, who were trembling in trepidation.

"You wanna finish this up quickly?"

The blond slammed his fist in the air and the terrain shook with tremors. The dark wizards were horrified as visible cracks formed in the atmosphere and mythical seals decorated the dirt arena. "Sorry, guys. My girl wants the job done. I'm gonna wrap it up really quickly. Can't make a girl wait, ya know? Boido Meiku: Hasai Hariken!" **(Void-Make: Shredding Hurricane)**

Ultear repressed the shudder that crawled up her spine as she flinched at the brutality of the carnage before her. Their obstructers were encompassed in an inescapable twister and eviscerated in macabre pieces by the sharp currents of the wind. Naruto cracked his neck and smiled with a disturbing vivacity at Ultear. "Sorry for the wait, milady."

The raven-haired girl ignored the mutilated corpses lay before her and slapped Naruto's arm. "Will you stop with the meaningless killing? It's getting on me."

"Meaningless killing?" Naruto gawked in disbelief at his compatriot. "These mother-"

"Language!" Ultear chided.

The blond's shoulders slumped in frustration. "These… clowns should die! Leaving them alive is a huge mistake! These cultists are funded by triads, slavers and other shits! I've read about the reports, Tear-chan! They kidnap children and send them to sweatshops or mines for hardcore labour! The last report stated that they have deported those children to the tower we're heading to. You want me to spare these people for what purpose?"

"So all this," Ultear remarked as she heaved a sigh. "Is to let off some steam?"

"No." Naruto shook his head. "To mentally prep myself."

"So are you prepped now?"

The blond blew a breath out and smirked. "I'm ready now! The tower is just over that hill. Trust me. My navigation skills are awesome!"

"Yes. The last time I let you lead me, we ended up in a desert!" Ultear retorted ferociously. "I'm leading this time."

"The tower is just over that hill!" Naruto whined.

"Precisely. That's what you said before we ended up in that godforsaken desert. Now shut up and follow me." The raven-haired girl stormed towards her designated path with vigour. The blond pouted dejectedly before he snatched a few packets of treats and chased after his companion. "Hey wait up, babe! Cut me some slack! You are walking too fast!"

When Naruto caught up to Ultear, she pinched his arm. "What's that for?"

"You told those cultists that I'm your girl." The raven-haired girl smirked. "So I'm your object of affection or something now? Huh? Think you got what it takes to own me?"

Naruto blushed at the coquettish Ultear as he was allured by her enchanting gaze; he was unsettled as the raven-haired girl deliberately swayed her hips before she strode past the sweating blond. Naruto shook his head and sighed. "Girls."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"Do you think this is a good idea?" Bluenote placed his legs atop the table and grinned. "Sending those inexperienced kids to that goddamn tower is suicide for them. Naruto is good, but not that good. He's headstrong and always lets his emotions run his head."

"That's why I sent Ultear with him." Hades reasoned.

The deputy commander cocked a brow. "She ain't that tough, to back the boy up."

"Have some faith in those children." The guild master folded his arms. "This is one of Naruto's many trials. If he survives, then that proves that my choice of appointing him as my heir was not an erroneous one."

"So what do you expect him to do?" Bluenote queried.

"Be what he is born to be." Hades grinned. "Destruction incarnate."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto and Ultear had reached their destination. The forbidden tower resembled a partially built medieval castle. Munching the last packet of his snack, the blond looked at his stoic partner. "So, what's the plan? We bust in and kick some ass or what?"

"The security is rather tight there. Too many guards patrolling the outskirts of their domain. I'm not sure if they're mages, but for caution's sake, we should avoid the main entrance and get ourselves a clean route." Ultear tapped her chin in contemplation. "It would be cumbersome if we caused unnecessary commotion. I suggest we split up and find our objective."

"They probably hide those confidential documents in some vault or something." Naruto traced his eyes to the summit of the tower. "My guess would be there."

"I agree." The raven-haired girl nodded in acknowledgement. "Remember, Naruto-kun, that those documents contain the blueprints of this tower. We must retrieve them at all costs! I will go that way. You will-"

Before Ultear could appoint a direction for Naruto, the blond dashed towards the guards; she nearly staggered. "W-What are you doing? H-Hey! Wait up!"

"I'll distract them for ya! Just keep moving! I'll catch up!" Naruto leaped to the sky with astounding velocity before the spectre of a malicious humanoid, wielding a transcendental hammer, manifested behind the blond. The apparition, roaring barbarically, swung its supreme hammer and slammed its massive weapon at the air. A devastating shockwave boomed aloud before Naruto muttered. "Boido Meiku: Saikuronhanma." **(Void-Make: Cyclone Hammer)**

Ultear gaped as her companion obliterated the guardsmen and dashed into the gateway. The raven-haired girl sighed and turned her contemplative gaze to her objective. "Guess he will be the one reaching the top first. I should just take my time."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Erza was chained to a log. She was caught by the sinister wizards a few hours earlier and had her eye gouged out as punishment. She lay motionless on the ground; a miserable sight with her dishevelled hair and tattered clothes. Her bleeding had stopped and it left blemishing stains on her porcelain skin.

She flexed her fingers and moaned in distress; her body was sore from the beatings she received from her tormentors. _"Jellal… somebody… please… help me."_

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto marched through the corridors of the prison and he was infuriated by the haggard faces of the children, who were deprived of food. The blond hissed in frustration as he repressed his murderous thoughts; he knew it would detrimental if he unleashed his rage. "Patience is the essence of victory. That's what mom always says! Yup! I must not lose my cool. I must not lose my cool!"

The blond snapped his fingers and the chains were severed, unlocking the door in the process. "Run away and don't look back! I have already cleared the path for you all. Just run all the way down there and take the ships to escape!"

The slaves bowed in gratitude to the enigmatic blond before they dashed through the tenebrous passage. Naruto twirled around, but felt his coat tugged by something. He blinked and turned his attention to the culprit. It was a young girl with silver hair, cropped short and she had curious indigo eyes. Naruto ruffled her soft hair and smiled. "You should run as well, little one."

"I'm not little one. I'm Angel."

"Okay, Angel." Naruto stared benignly at the shrinking girl. "So why do you refuse to leave? Don't you want to reunite with your parents? Where do you live? I can take a little detour and bring you back home after this whole fiasco is over."

"I don't have a home. Burn away. Mama and papa gone…" the girl cried.

"Oh, sorry. Uh…" The blond stroked his chin. _"I guess she was captured after her parents were killed. And her hometown is most likely burnt away, I suppose. If that's the case, it's no wonder she doesn't have anybody to stick with. Well, I guess the more the merrier. Maybe I should bring her to the old man. We can work something out for her."_

Naruto squatted down and patted her small shoulders. "Do you want to follow me then, Angel-chan?"

The girl nodded bashfully.

"Come, I'll give you a ride. Hop on to my back." The blond pantomimed the girl, who obliged timidly and climbed to his shoulders. "Hold on tight. This is gonna be a bumpy ride."

Angel yelped as Naruto darted with astonishing speed through the hallway.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

**"Have you found the vessel?"**

Ultear stared at the white globe of light and mumbled. "Yes."

**"I have taught you the Possession Magic, haven't I?" **

"Yes, sir."

**"Use it on the vessel."**

The raven-haired girl stammered as she was confounded. "B-But sir, he's just a boy-"

**"Just do it. I await your good news. And remember, do not tell Naruto. You, of all people, know that boy's mentality more than anybody else. He is a boy scout who thinks the way this world truly works is with ethics and some ridiculous personal principals that he upholds. Do what must be done. Do not hesitate. Do you hear me, Ultear?"**

Ultear nodded reluctantly. "Y-Yes. I know what I should do."

The sparkles of light were extinguished to harmless smoke before the raven-haired girl turned her sight to an imprisoned boy with blue hair. "Forgive me for doing this."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
Below is a list of pairings that I have sought out. There is quite a lot of girls to choose from.

1.) NarutoXUltear Milkovich (Very popular)  
2.) NarutoXErza (Very popular)  
3.) NarutoXIkaruga (Popular)  
4.) NarutoXMirajane (Popular)  
5.) NarutoXCana (Average)  
6.) NarutoXMinerva (Average)  
7.) NarutoXKamika (Below average)  
8.) NarutoXJuvia (Average)  
9.) NarutoXKagura Mikazuchi (Popular)  
10.) NarutoXFlare Corona (Average)  
11.) NarutoXAngel (Average)  
12.) NarutoXHarem (Very popular)

Please vote and review.


	3. Knight and Angel

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"E-Erza, you came back!" Simon squeaked in relief. "T-That's great! You're okay! W-Where's Jellal? He said he was gonna get past those guards and save you!"

Rob clutched the boy's shoulder and chided. "Just let her do what she wants. That poor girl must have suffered a lot in the punishment chamber."

The doleful ambience within the cell exacerbated and a commotion stirred. The children sobbed and the adults swallowed their melancholic sorrow. The prison's guardsmen were alarmed by the anomaly and they grunted. "What's with the noise? Quiet there, will ya? Or do you want us to come in there and show you all a lesson to remember?"

"Hey, asshole!"

The antagonistic guards swivelled around and faced an enigmatic blond, who had a stern pair of sapphire eyes. "W-Who the fuck are you? How did you get in here?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naruto thrust a palm at the malevolent guardsmen and a blast of almighty wind slammed upon his foes, knocking them out effectively. The blond arched a brow and flailed his hand flamboyantly before delivering a cavalier bow at the prisoners. "Sorry for being late."

With a swipe of his hand, Naruto sliced the rusty locks and kicked the door open. "For the sake of freedom, if I were you, I would run like my life depends on it."

The blond smirked as he ushered the slaves to flee. However, he caught a glimpse of a shivering girl with tousled scarlet hair hiding in a tenebrous corner, hugging her frail knees. Angel ran into the cell and held onto Naruto's leather coat. "N-Naruto-sama, the next batch of guards is coming!"

The blond smiled benevolently at the girl and ruffled her soft hair. "Thanks for the info."

Naruto turned his attention at the mysterious redhead and approached the girl cautiously. "Uh… are you alright?"

"She won't be fine, boy."

The blond cocked a brow and twirled his sympathetic gaze at a thin elder; Angel hid frightfully behind her saviour. "And you are?"

"I am Rob, a retired mage from Fairy Tail." The man spoke in a hoarse voice, blatant evidence of severe dehydration.

Naruto took a tentative step forward. "And why is that?"

"She and her friends staged a coup, but failed. The guards took her." Rob sighed. "Throw her to the punishment chamber. No sane souls come out of the punishment chamber without being scared for life, especially for a youngling such as her."

"It doesn't matter." The blond knelt before the quavering girl and gently grasped her shoulders. When Erza spun around, Naruto stifled a gasp as he saw bloodstain beneath her eye patch; he immediately deduced a plausible reason for her accessory. "Y-Your right eye… could it be?"

Rob shook his head. "The guards probably took one of her eyes as their disciplinary actions. It is their common practice after all."

"Those bastards! Does their depravity know no bounds?" Naruto seethed. "How could they do such a thing to you? I will make them pay for it. I swear it!"

The blond clenched his shivering fist before he regained a tranquil composure. "Nevertheless, you must not lose the will to fight! Freedom is just right before you! If you give up now, everything will be for naught! Do you want to be a slave for the rest of your life, being oppressed and tortured? Or will you fight, even when you know there is no hope for victory? Do you wish to perish than to live the rest of your life as slave? Answer me!"

The redhead jolted as she choked in her sobs. "I… I…"

"Naruto-sama!" Angel yelled fearfully. "They're coming!"

Naruto diverted his furious glare at the group of cultist who barged into the cell with their weapons armed. "Are you the one causing all this ruckus?"

"You dare intrude our domain and free our slaves?"

"You're dead!"

Reminiscing about his venture through the lugubrious hallway, the blond couldn't abolish his morbid memories of the labourers incarcerated in their cells. Some tormented slaves suffered famine while others were either brutally whipped to death or burned excruciatingly by torches; it was inhumane. Naruto slammed his fist in the air and an intricate set of magical seals materialised before him. "Suck on this, motherfucker! Boido Meiku: Notasu!" **(Void Make: Notus)**

The guardsmen were petrified as they seized their own throat, before the fleet of aggressors were deprived of oxygen and they suffocated to death. Angel yelped in hysteria, while Naruto spat at the corpses in disdain. The blond cracked his neck and offered a hand to the shuddering redhead. "Come with me. As long as I'm alive, I assure you that I will protect you with my life!"

The scarlet-haired girl wiped her tears. "And I want to fight too!"

"That's the spirit!" The blond grinned buoyantly. "I'm Naruto. Pleasure to have you in the crew!"

"E-Erza."

"That's a cute name." Naruto snatched Angel's wrist and beamed joyously at Erza. "Let's head towards freedom! After all this shit is over, I'm gonna bring the two of you to eat the food from the heavens! Ramen!"

"Ramen?" The girls queried in unison.

The blond nodded in conviction. "Ramen!"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"The process is completed." Ultear wiped the sweats from her temples and surveyed her environment vigilantly. "I better leave now."

The girl scurried out of the prison cell.

An array of magical codes was plastered on Jellal's face before it entered his eyes and a surge of deleterious energy erupted.

His sinister chortles soon reverberated throughout the cell.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto marvelled at the slaves, who stood unwavering as they fought ferociously back against the cultists. Those slaves had nothing to lose as they charged through the battalion of malicious soldiers. The blond inhaled the air and garnered tremendous energy into his appendages. Swirling black wind was generated as it encircled Naruto's arms. The blond thrust his fist to the sky and an ungodly storm descended upon the battlefield.

"Ryujin no Hyakujuhachi Tenshou: Getsuryuga!" **(Dragon God's 108 Divine Palms: Moon Dragon Fang)**

The sinister winds morphed into serpents as it encompassed Naruto. Angel gawked in apprehension and astonishment at Naruto's might as he punched both fists in the air before he delivered a devastating pulse of shockwave at his terrorised enemies. The draconic winds roared to life before it swept through the foes and eviscerated the cultists. Naruto grunted as he subdued his overwhelming rage and balled his trembling fists. _"I still can't control this martial art…"_

A column of heavenly power crashed upon Erza as she awakened her latent prowess. Naruto was alarmed and bewildered as he switched his attention to the irate redhead. The scattered blades hovered telekinetically in the air and danced in chaotic rhythm around Erza, who was in berserk fury.

Naruto saw the corpse of Rob and sighed. _"I have read about how some people awakened their powers. One of the reasons is despair."_

Erza was in despondence. Her elderly companion had sacrificed himself to protect her. "O-Oji-san! OJI-SAN!"

Glaring infuriately at the cultists, Erza relinquished her umbrage and roared before she launched her vengeful swords at her adversaries. Her foes were pierced and eradicated remorselessly by her unyielding barrage of blades. She seized a sword and shouted, "Come with me! We will stand and fight! Surrender is nonexistent! This is our last stand!"

Naruto whistled in awe at Erza's leadership skills as she led the remnant of her forces towards the tower.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to save Jellal! He's trapped inside that place! I need to free him!"

"A lover?"

Erza's cheek flushed in a few shades of pink. "N-No. He… saved my life before! I need to repay him. It's the least I can do."

"I'm jealous." Naruto smirked with a suave demeanour before he dusted his hands. "I have some time to spare. Let's go."

Ultear, who oversaw the commotion, bit her lower lip and mused. "What is Naruto doing? He's supposed to retrieve the documents! He's probably procrastinating and losing sight of his objective. His morals are gonna be the death of me someday. Never mind, I'll get those papers myself."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"Jellal!" Erza smiled in relief as she found the imprisoned boy. She rushed towards the bound Jellal, but was halted by Naruto who stared dubiously at the motionless boy. "N-Naruto, what are you doing? I need to save Jellal!"

"Something is not right with him." Naruto channelled arcane power into his hand and swiped his arms swiftly. The wind stirred before it sliced the chains and freed the blue-haired boy. Much to Naruto's chagrin and consternation, Erza shoved him away and ran towards the falling Jellal. "Erza, no!"

The redhead caught the blue-haired boy and hugged him in bliss. "It's okay now! It's all over, Jellal! S-Simon is badly hurt and Oji-san… but we've won! We're finally free, Jellal! Wolly and others have stolen a ship! We're ready to leave! Jellal, we can escape this tower together!"

"Oh shit…" Naruto gritted his teeth as he anticipated a menacing ordeal would soon unfold before him.

Jellal returned the embrace with a diabolical grin. "I'm not leaving… True freedom is right here!"

Erza squirmed as the boy of her affection tightened his hug. "J-Jellal… you're hurting me."

"I've come to realise that fleeting freedom is not what I've been seeking for all these years, Erza. That is simply… blasphemous!" Jellal pushed the redhead away and spun around as he trudged around the cavern. "Do you understand, Erza? What I want is true freedom! The freedom to have everything I want! Nobody is going to stop me from achieving my goal!"

Erza was perturbed by Jellal's disturbing smirk. "W-What are you saying, Jellal?"

"True freedom lies in Zeref's world! That is the freedom I believed in!"

The redhead was frightened and astounded by Jellal's deranged behaviour as he strode towards the warden, who was crawling away. "You know, I'm starting to appreciate why these buffoons wish to resurrect Zeref. However, their desire is weak! I bet they can't even feel the presence of Zeref! They were just a bunch of incompetent wannabes! Isn't that right?"

Jellal did the unthinkable as he smashed the skull of the hapless jailor with his foot, leaving a macabre mess on the ground.

"S-Stop this!"

"Stop?" The blue-haired boy arched a quizzical brow and growled. "Don't you hate these animals? Remember how these bastards treated us when we were held captive? Don't you want to butcher them and bath yourself in their blood? No. That won't do. At this rate, you won't be able to feel Zeref's presence. I must enlighten you!"

Erza was in stupor as the agitated boy massacred the rest of the jailers without remorse with his dark magic. "I'm going to rebuild this tower and complete what they can't! And after that, with the Tower of Paradise built, I will find freedom!"

"Stop this nonsense at once, Jellal! You're just not thinking right at the moment! Please!"

"N-Nonsense? NONSENSE? How dare you, you imbecile!" The boy drew out malevolent energies and discharged a demonic claw at the startled redhead. Erza yelped as she shut her eyes, awaiting the imminent agony. However, nothing happened and she opened her eyes weakly. She staggered at the sight of Naruto, who stood protectively before her and deflected the assault with adroit manoeuvres.

"Wake up, Erza. He is basked in evil. That guy is no longer the guy you knew." Tendrils of ethereal energy flowed into Naruto's arm and sparks of potent flames cackled into existence as his appendage illuminated a nefarious glow. "Ryujin no Hyakujuhachi Tenshou: Aoryu Enhou!" **(Dragon God's 108 Divine Palms: Blue Dragon Blaze Cannon)  
**  
"No, Naruto! Don't do it!" Erza screamed in tribulation as a myriad of explosions occurred and the earthen plates shook in disastrous tremors. "Naruto, please!"

"Look at that jackass, Erza!" The blond retorted and he pointed a finger at Jellal, who withstood the almighty blast and was scathed. "He is strong. If I don't annihilate him, he will become a threat in the future. His power is still rising as we speak. I need to end thi- Argh."

Naruto groaned as he clutched his arm, which was having an uncontrollable spasm. _"Damn it! Is this my limit? I still can't control this technique! It's as if it is sentient! It's… trying to d-devour my conscience! D-Damn it all! It's just like what that old man said! Mastering this technique is no easy feat. Thanks to the fact that my magical element is wind and fire, this deadly martial art is suitable for me. But I-I can't…"_

Jellal guffawed in vicious glee as he wiped the blood from the edge of his lips. "You can't even control your own powers! How weak!"

"You better shut that mouth of yours." Naruto scowled as he glared scornfully at Jellal. "On second thought, fuck you. Boido Meik-"

Erza snatched Naruto's arm, terminating his magic in the process before she pleaded tearfully. "Please don't do this! H-He's just-"

"If you really want to escape, then go! Go with him, Erza! I will keep our… friends with me. I need the necessary manpower to continue the construction of this tower. Don't worry though, I will give everybody clothes, food and water. Labour under fear and mistreatments are too inefficient." Jellal smirked. "I will tell them the true purpose of this tower! With this tower, a great magician will be revived and paradise will be guaranteed!"

"W-What are you talking about, Jellal? Please wake up from these stupid delusions!" Erza cried.

"Go and pursue your insignificant freedom if you want. I don't need you." The blue-haired boy sneered indignantly. "I hope the two of you won't tell anybody what happened here. If the government or the council found out about this Tower of Paradise, I will destroy all the evidences, including the people in it. And listen closely, I forbid you to come close to this place. If I see you hanging around, I will start the slaughter. Oh, I'll start with that pathetic Shou first."

"You know, for a scrawny little fuck-face, you talk way too much." Naruto pulled the lamenting redhead into his embrace and a miniature whirlwind materialised in his grasp. "I have no time to haggle with you, bitch. We're leaving this crazy place, Erza-chan."

"THAT'S YOUR PRECIOUS FLEETING FREEDOM! GO ON! LEAVE THIS PLACE AND RUN WITH THE LIVES OF YOUR FRIENDS UPON YOUR BACK FOREVER, ERZA!"

Pulling an offending finger at the demented boy, Naruto and Erza vanished into dissipating winds while Jellal howled in livid frenzy.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"What is taking Naruto so long?" Ultear growled as she stared at her watch and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Tear-chan! Hey!"

The raven-haired beauty spun around and was confounded by two foreign girls who were dragged by a beaming Naruto. Ultear crossed her arms and glared vehemently at the lackadaisical blond. When Naruto reached the designated harbour, Ultear slapped his bicep impishly. "What took you so long? We got a schedule to meet! And who are these two?"

"Oh! This is Angel-chan. And she is Erza-chan. Long story short. I freed the slaves. Met the girls during one of my fights. Fought a few fuck nuts and voila!" Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.

"Angel? Erza?" Ultear cocked a questioning brow.

"Hi! I'm Angel!" The short girl with silver hair waved merrily.

Erza, however, studied the concrete payment impassively. "Hi…"

"Screw the schedule." The blond waved his hand in a dismissive notion before he cheered. "Let's take a detour and get to the nearest ramen bar! I need some ramen lovin'!"

Ultear rolled her eyes. "No! Master Hades has tasked us to give him the report by-"

"Stop being uptight! Come on, let's go!" Naruto led Erza and Angel into the ship.

Ultear, however, glared with annoyance at her insouciant partner. "Naruto!"

"If you stop whining and just follow me, the sooner we get to finish this mission, right?"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
(A day later…)

Naruto and his compatriots boarded a cargo ship and arrived to the bustling outskirt of Minstrel, a metropolitan country. When they disembarked the vessel, Angel descended the ship in vivacity with Naruto, while Erza was still in the nadir of despair. Ultear followed the blond begrudgingly as they ventured through the district. The ecstatic blond stumbled across a ramen stall and they entered immediately.

"I've been here before!" Naruto took a seat with his friends on a table at a sequestered corner. "I'll order three bowls of pork ramen! What about you girls?"

"Naruto-sama, can you tell me what is tasty around here?" Angel asked mirthfully.

"Well, my dear, as long as it's ramen, happiness and tasty usually rhymes." Naruto pinched the silver-haired girl's nose benignly, who giggled in a bashful manner. "But for you, I'll order a shrimp ramen. Tear-chan is on a diet, so she would prefer a bowl of vegetarian ramen. What about you, Erza-chan? You can order anything you like! It's on me."

Erza stared dispassionately at the menu and she exuded a sorrowful semblance. "I… I really don't know-"

The compassionate blond grasped the redhead's hand and stroked her soft crimson hair. "Erza-chan, you need to eat something. Stop thinking about what had happened. You need to move forward and not anchor by the past. And don't worry. If you really want, my shoulder will always be here for you to lean on. I promise you. I won't ever abandon you, Erza-chan. You're not alone. So please, eat something."

Perceiving Naruto's sincerity and altruism, Erza conceded with a weak smile and muttered. "Why don't you choose for me? I have never eaten… ramen before."

Ultear rested her cheek on her fist and smirked. "Trust me, girl, it's just salty noodles that he loves to brag about."

Ignoring the cynical raven-haired girl, Naruto suggested, "Would you like something spicy?"

The redhead blinked. "Spicy?"

"Then it's set! We'll get you a volcano spicy chicken ramen! That will boost some excitement from you. After that, we can get some desserts. What do you say? I see that this place has a few varieties of delicious sweets that we can try." Naruto smiled and beckoned the waiter to him. "Hey man, can you get these beautiful ladies a bowl of vegetarian, shrimp and volcano spice. As for me, please get me three bowls of pork ramen please."

"Alright then, we'll serve it right up to you very soon!" The man kept the receipt in his pocket and ushered the chefs with the order.

Erza, Angel and Ultear blushed fervently when Naruto addressed their pulchritudinous charm aloud.

"S-So…" The redhead stuttered in a demure manner. "W-Where are we going after this?"

"To the Grimoire Heart's headquarter airbase." Ultear answered nonchalantly.

Naruto nodded. "I'm sure old man is able to do something to that eye of yours, Erza-chan. As for Angel-chan, we'll find an appropriate magic for you."

"W-Who is this old man of yours, Naruto-sama?" The silver-haired girl tilted her head in confusion.

"He is our guild master. Naruto-kun is just boorish, that's all." Ultear smiled saccharinely.

Naruto pouted. "That's mean, Tear-chan!"

The raven-haired girl stuck her tongue out and taunted her partner with an offending finger. "Suck on this."

"I would love to," Naruto retorted while licking his lips.

Erza, to their surprise, giggled in exhilaration at Naruto's antics.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Bluenote Stinger placed his legs delinquently on the antique desk and stared in scrutiny at Hades's experiments. The deputy commander examined a humongous cylinder that stored an unconscious boy, who was attached with equipment that sustained and preserved his life. "I am surprise that this clone subject is able to live this long. Naruto-bozu's blood is poisonous."

The guild master frowned in dismay as he slid the tubes of virulent chemical inside his inventory. "I must admit that Naruto's DNA is indeed fascinating. As the slayer of the fabled goddess, Amaterasu, his blood temperature is beyond ordinary and its composition is similar to that of a fire tetrahedron. His entire body's exoskeleton and organs are even modified by extra-terrestrial forces to withstand… the heat of a sun."

"So you are trying to duplicate his cells and transfer it into a mere child?" The deputy commander mused. "Sounds ludicrous to me. You may be able to clone Naruto-bozu, but you cannot fully replicate his powers."

"That much is true." Hades sighed. "But I can still try. Nowadays, you don't get to see God Slayers who appeared in your doorstep. I will do what must be done to gather a substantial ally to my side. I need to harness Naruto's powers and invest it to a host that can wield his magnificent power. Although this boy may only be able to utilise the God Slaying Magic to a lesser extent, I'm sure he is still proficient enough to be my weapon."

Bluenote cocked a questioning brow. "What makes you so confident that the boy won't become a disposable tool?"

The guild master "If he proves his loyalty to me, I may deem him more than just an expendable servant."

"What's the boy's name?"

The guild master simply chuckled. "Zancrow."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto slurped the last strand of noodle from his bowl and let out a burp of contentment. "Didn't I tell you? It was god who bestowed this food of awesomeness to us! You mortals are worthy enough to taste such joy. Anyway, I have eaten quite a few desserts here before. I dare say that it matches the greatness of ramen by a tiny bit. What about this? Erza-chan, to celebrate freedom, you should get yourself a strawberry cheesecake. Angel-chan, you should try the blueberry muffins."

The girls nodded in joviality. "Umm! Yes please!"

The blond whistled sharply for attention. "Hey! Please get me a strawberry cheesecake, your signature blueberry muffins, a slice of fruit pie and a lava cake for me!"

Erza and Angel cheered in unison.

Ultear smiled.

"Get ready your helmet girls." Naruto whispered. "Those desserts will blow your mind."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
(A few days later…)

Grimoire Heart's gargantuan hall was exquisitely grand with an elegant aisle that led to a gothic throne. Naruto hummed a pleasant tune as he brought a wary Erza and a terrified Angel to the sovereign of their malignant guild.

Ultear hastily skipped to her chamber to finalise her confidential reports; she knew if she disclosed the true purpose of the mission to her partner, it would be detrimental.

Naruto stiffened as gravity intensified abruptly in his area. Beads of sweats formed profusely on his temples and the blond flexed his fingers, debilitating his anxiety as he limbered up with a few stretches. "Erza-chan, Angel-chan, take a few steps back. He's coming."

"W-Who's he?" Angel queried. "N-Naruto-sama?"

Bluenote, who materialised above the astute blond, dove ruthlessly at his prey with a readied punch. "Welcome back, Naruto-bozu!"

"Shado Hiko: Kuroi Suteppu!" **(Shadow Flight: Black Steps)**

Dexterously, Naruto vanished into fading afterimages, evading the foreseeable assailment. The blond retaliated ably with a volley of lethal kicks. The deputy commander blocked the attacks with his robust arms but was stupefied when his opponent landed a fist to his abdomen. "Got you now! Ryujin no Hyakujuhachi Tenshou: Shagami Ryuken!" **(Dragon God's 108 Divine Palms: Crouching Dragon Fist)**

"Gravity: Diamond Body!" Bluenote grunted as the powerful strike delivered to his stomach sent off a calamitous shockwave from his back. _"To think that this kid hasn't even unleashed this martial art's full potential… Nevertheless, it is still not enough to crack my magic armour!"_

Retreating via cartwheels, Naruto slammed the ground with his palms and bellowed. "Like hell I will let you use your fucking magic! Boido Meiku: Shikuropusu Saikuronhanma!" **(Void-Make: Cyclops's Cyclone Hammer)**

A vile phantom that resembled a barbaric humanoid, wielding a humongous hammer, manifested behind the blond. Mimicking Naruto's action, the colossal apparition smashed its destructive weapon at the air and fired an indomitable blast of torrent at Bluenote. Manipulating gravity to the extremity, the deputy commander nullified the pernicious assault with his magic. "Epic fail, Naruto-bozu."

Erza and Angel, as bystanders, were amazed by Naruto's arsenal of skills

"Boido Meiku: Disutoshon!" **(Void-Make: Distortion) **The ruined infrastructure within the airship was enveloped by a bright light before the deputy commander's magic was disabled. The blond smirked in triumph. "I have studied your magic for quite a while now. Your Gravity Magic is indeed powerful, but it has weaknesses. My Void-Make is your Achilles' heel! It can temporarily render my opponent's magic useless!"

Flashing through a sophisticated set of equations with his fingers, Naruto created empurpled runes in the air and pumped unfathomable powers into his hands. The magical seals encompassed a stunned Bluenote, entrapping him in the confinement. "Without your magic, you're dead! Amaterasu Nanajuhachi Shiki!" **(Sun Goddess's Formula 78)**

"Stop!"

Hades waved his arm dismissively and the magic warfare was extinguished.

Naruto widened his eyes while Bluenote panted.

"Enough! If you guys keep this up, this entire airship will be blown to smithereens." The guild master sighed aloud as his subordinates attenuated their powers to considerably levels. "And who are those girls? I assume they're slaves that you have picked up from the tower, no?"

"Yeah." Naruto shrugged and introduced the redhead. "This is Erza-chan."

"I-It is a pleasure to meet you, Hades-sama." Erza bowed politely.

The blond flailed his arms melodramatically to emphasis his point. "She has great potential, old man! I've seen how she has unlocked her powers! She really kicks some asses back there! I reckon she will be a formidable ally to us, old man!"

Hades stroked his chin and assayed the girl. "What happened to her right eye?"

Naruto blinked. "She lost it. Old man, do you think you can get her a replacement?"

The guild master disregarded the boy's insolence and surveyed Erza. "I will do something to that eye of yours. Probably get it fixed with an artificial one. Over the years, I have studied herbs and medical pills that can either rejuvenate damaged organs or heal grave wounds. I'm sure our medics are knowledgeable enough to do something. I will take a look on your condition as well."

"T-Thank you, Hades-sama."

Naruto smirked cheekily as he patted Angel's tiny shoulder. "This is Angel-chan. Her powers may not be awakened yet, but I have the perfect magic that will be compatible to her. We can even install lacrima in her soul to enhance her powers if you wish."

"So what power is that?" Hades cocked a brow.

"The forbidden magic from the text of ancient, Akuenjeru Sureiya Maho." **(Archangel Slayer Magic)**

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
Sorry for the long wait. I was considering how should this story continues. Well, this is the next chapter.

1.) NarutoXUltear Milkovich  
2.) NarutoXErza  
3.) NarutoXIkaruga  
4.) NarutoXMirajane  
5.) NarutoXCana  
6.) NarutoXMinerva  
7.) NarutoXKamika  
8.) NarutoXJuvia  
9.) NarutoXKagura Mikazuchi  
10.) NarutoXFlare Corona  
11.) NarutoXAngel  
12.) NarutoXHarem

Please review!


	4. The Monster Within Her Heart

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
(Four years later…)

Naruto, who possessed a dynamic physique, stood atop the cliff and studied the terrain with analytical eyes. He sniffed the atmosphere and a pleasant aroma of roses captured his rapt attention.

Naruto blinked as he was enveloped by a soothing breeze before he levitated into the air. A miniature whirlwind was generated on his palm as he gazed sombrely at his environment. The blond noticed the shrubs stirred in the northern region and he dispersed the current. "You can't hide from me."

With a jubilant smirk, Naruto dove down to the bottom of the highland in astonishing velocity before he aimed his gloved palm at the ground, which illuminated a bright glow. Gravity attenuated gradually and the blond descended on the dirt surface in a nimble motion. Dusting his attire, the blond surveyed the vegetation dispassionately. "Let's get this party starting! Boido Meiku: Tsuisutataron!" **(Void-Make: Twister Talon)**

Naruto's right arm was engulfed by a torrent of wind before it whiplashed to existence. The blond swung his appendage with paramount might, bifurcating the surrounding trees apart with relatively ease. "Stop hiding, Erza-chan! Angel-chan! Tear-chan! I'm bored! Come out and fight me already! If not, I'll destroy this entire place! Imagine how many trees have to be sacrificed just for me to lure you three out!"

A vibrant slash of energy, accompanied by a devastating fissure, travelled ferociously towards the blond. Sidestepping the assault with a nonchalant attitude, Naruto chuckled before he leaped into the sky. "Shado Hiko: Kuroi Dasshu!" **(Shadow Flight: Black Dash)**

Naruto evaded another chaotic myriad of slashes with a decisive aerial evasion. However, he was startled when he perceived danger from behind.

Erza, dressed in her signature titanium armour, appeared above her rival. Without hesitation, she blitzed at the blond with a barrage of fluid strikes from her claymore. Naruto gritted his teeth as he ducked from Erza's preeminent swordsmanship and vanished into a black static. The redhead narrowed her eyes and switched her sight to the ground. "Duplication Magic, huh? I almost forgot about that. Still… we should end this quick."**  
**  
With almighty strength, Erza brought her blade down, embedding a gargantuan crater to the unforgiving ground in the process before she discharged a seismic wave of virulent energy towards Naruto, who was hiding behind a boulder.

"Persistent, aren't we?" The blond grinned before he retreated; he watched in awe as the ground was bisected. "This won't do. I'll be at the defensive side if she-"

"Daitenshi no Shoten." **(Ascension of the Archangel)**

Naruto covered his eyes with an arm as a blinding ray of light consumed the forest.

Empowered with holy magic, Angel sprouted her seraphic wings as the surge of her beatific energy subsided. She wore a vivid blue dress adorned with feathers that embellished her developing figure. The silver-haired girl smiled bashfully at her idol and winked. "Naruto-sama, ready or not, here I come. Gaburiera no Horun!" **(Gabriella's Horn)**

A celestial horn materialised before Angel and she inhaled voluminous amount of air; a divine set of magical seals were formed. She let out a scream and Naruto anticipated an outcome of affliction.

"Ah shit."

The blond was blown away by the ungodly blast. Regaining his bearings, Naruto shook his head as he tried to recover from the piercing shriek and his irritating nausea. His sight was jarred, but he could still analyse his predicament. Angel, however, was unyielding as she tossed trinkets of glittery lights at the blond. "Basked by my endless love, Naruto-sama! Gaburiera no Kozumikku Jajjimento!" **(Gabriella's Cosmic Judgement)**

The sparkling globes erupted into a series of disastrous explosion and a tidal wave of disintegrating energy was released. Naruto hastily improvised a plan and channelled arcane magic into his arms before drawing intricate magic circles in the air. "This should reduce the impact! Boido Meiku: Disutoshon!" **(Void-Make: Distortion)  
**  
Naruto forcefully opened a dimensional rift and warped the assailment into the abyssal darkness. _"Ah! Fuck my life! It won't make it in time!"_

Swiftly, the blond darted to safety before the spell went haywire. "Damn. They are very good."

"You almost forgot about me, Naruto-kun." A seductive voice lingered in the air, sending a shuddering chill up Naruto's spine. "Furasshu Fowado!" **(Flash Forward)**

Ultear summoned a magnitude of orbs, which were hovering in the atmosphere, before directing them towards the startled blond. Naruto manoeuvred himself away from the bombardment of luminous beams and chortled. "Missed! What's the point of throwing shits at me when you can't hit your target, Tear-chan!"

"Gaburiera no Horun!"** (Gabriella's Horn)  
**  
Naruto received an unexpected assault and slammed to a colossal tree. Grunting in pain, the blond wiped the blood from his lips and spat. "That fucking hurts!"

Erza stood before a distracted Naruto with her blade, fuelled with tremendous energy, and she smirked triumphantly. "This is it, Naruto! Kanso: Raitei no Yoroi!" **(Ex-Quip: Lightning Empress's Armour)  
**  
The redheaded knight was donned in golden armour tantamount to a goddess's. Erza wore ribbons, styled in an oriental fashion, on her scarlet hair and kept a cascading braid behind her back. Her outfit consisted of a robust breastplate decorated by exotic trimmings, her pauldrons were sported with spikes protrusion, her hands equipped with medieval gauntlets, and her breechcloth was emblazoned with lightning tribal.

Swinging her sceptre stylishly, Erza pierced the air and launched a shower of thunderbolts at Naruto. "Raitei no Mai: Odin no Ikari!"** (Dance of the Lightning Empress: Odin's Wrath)**

"This ain't gonna end pretty." Naruto infused vortex of potent energy into his arms and thrust his fist at the redhead. "Ryujin no Hyakujuhachi Tenshou: Kuzuryu Shinken!" **(Dragon God's 108 Divine Palms: Nine-Headed Dragon's Heavenly Blades) **

"Riwaindo!" **(Rewind)**

Naruto was stupefied when he realised his attack vaporised into nothingness. "What the fu-"

Cataclysm struck the earthen assemblage as hazardous lightning cackled and devoured the tropical jungle in an indomitable explosion.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Hades guffawed in a frenzy of delighted glee as he watched the holographic panel, which displayed his subordinates' battle. "Do you even expect Naruto to be dominated by those girls? It is indeed a rare sight to see how the conjoined might of Erza, Angel and Ultear could surpass that of a God."

"The boy wasn't even serious." Bluenote cocked a brow. "What makes you think those flimsy brats can beat the boy who wields the inextinguishable flames of the goddess? A genuine God Slayer was said to be either the messiah or a destroyer of the world. I hate to admit, but that boy will be a threat in the future. Who knows what he wants to do with that much power."

"Power is everything." The guild master retorted. "And those powers will be used to my advantage."

"And what makes you think he will give you the benefits? He is an untamed monster. He may be bound by a purpose, but it is not enough to make him stay for long. His bonds with the girls are what keeping the leash on his neck secured." The deputy commander twirled his glass of wine. "Don't you think it is inconceivable for him to pledge his allegiance to us if he has powers beyond our imagination?"

"I have every confidence that I can bind him to my services." Hades scowled.

Bluenote took a sip from his alcoholic beverage and smirked. "And what consequences are you willing to pay for his services?"

"Ultear sees me as her foster father. And with her as my pawn, I will betroth her to the boy. I know he has feelings for the girl. In fact, I am sure he has feelings for Erza as well. If Ultear and Erza stay by my side, Naruto will not revolt."

The deputy commander narrowed his eyes. "And for how long will it last?"

"As long as I want. After all, I am Hades, the god of a new world." Hades whispered with conviction gleaming in his eyes.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Angel stood beside her brethrens with solicitude plastered on her comely features. "Did we overdo it?"

Ultear folded her arms underneath her bosom and smirked. "That won't be enough to kill him."

Erza dismissed her magic and exhaled a laboured breath. "But that will be enough to wear him down."

The smoke stirred and the girls were bemused. Naruto charred body lay motionlessly on the demolished field. Angel was horrified at what they had done. Erza, too, was petrified as she dropped her sword and dashed towards the blond. Ultear seized her pearl orb and followed Erza. "N-Naruto!"

When the silver-haired girl reached the blond, she gently took his mutilated form in her grasp and wept. "N-Naruto-sama! You could have stopped that attack!"

Erza's hands trembled as she gasped in dismay. "N-Naruto! I-I killed…"

Ultear blinked rapidly, trying to decipher her dilemma. "T-This can't be! Naruto-kun's flames are supposed to protect him! It couldn't have malfunctioned like this!"

"Hahaha! You three actually think you can just beat me with that lightning spell?" Naruto laughed in hysteria as he clutched his stomach, albeit his face was blemished with dirt; he was standing behind the girls while the scorched body vanished into smoke. Erza, Ultear and Angel were furious as they glared menacingly at the guffawing blond. "The same old Bunshin Maho makes best game of the year! Believe it!"

"Oh, Naruto-kun!" Ultear sang sweetly.

"We're gonna play!" Erza finished with a mellifluous tone.

Angel let out her glorious wings and grinned. "Naruto-sama, do you like it hard or tender?"

Naruto ceased his laughter and blinked in confusion. "W-What?"

In the midst of deranged fury, the three girls charged towards the blond, who fled away with an unmanly shriek.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~  
(A few hours later…)

"Ah! My children! You have arrived just in time." Hades stood up from his gothic throne and smiled. "I have prepared a feast for you."

"What's with the celebration?" Naruto smirked as he seized an apple from the plate and settled down on his respective seat.

Rustyrose twitched his fingers flamboyantly and smiled at the blond. "It isn't a usual sight to see you around the dining table, Naruto."

"I prefer eating outside." Naruto stared stoically at the silver-haired man. "The dining room in this airship is kinda… suffocating."

"Yes, especially when you keep trashes around you!" Rustyrose laughed.

Naruto's eyelid twitched vigorously before he materialised before the snickering Rustyrose and seized his throat. "You better watch that snarky mouth of yours, Rust. You know better that I hate taking nonsense from people like you. And I particularly detest people talking shit about my friends! Erza-chan and Angel-chan may not be one of the Kin of Purgatory, but they are still part of this guild."

"Naruto!" Hades bellowed, but he was promptly ignored.

"Let me warn you, Rust." Naruto leaned closer and glared lividly at a frightened Rustyrose. "I can snap your neck faster than you can think narcissistic crap about yourself. If I hear one more insult from you, I will burn you to death. Know your place and drop that arrogant tone of yours when you talk to your superior. Do I make myself clear?"

"I…" The grey-haired boy stammered.

"Do I make myself clear, Rust?" The blond repeated with his infuriated gaze boring into his junior.

"Y-Yes, sir."

"Good. I'm glad that we have a truce. Have some humility and you'll do great, Rust." Naruto smiled benignly as he removed his grip from Rustyrose's neck. The blond straightened his compatriot's collar and patted his shoulder, who was fidgeting in terror. Naruto strolled to his chair and squashed the lugubrious ambience with a cheery grin. "Okay! Let's eat, shall we?"

"Naruto." Azuma addressed in a respectful manner. "I heard that the training simulation you've conducted with Ultear, Erza and Angel is a fruitful one. The reports have stated that they have cleverly beaten you."

"Yes, my man!" Naruto exclaimed joyously. "Those girls really have grown up. If I haven't drawn out the powers of my flames in that precise moment, I would have been lying in a coffin by now! Erza may not be a user of sacred magic, but her prowess is not to be underestimated. She has the capability to surpass any member of the Kin of Purgatory if she is ambitious enough."

The rest of the members swallowed hard at the subtle comment.

"Is that true, Ultear?" Hades questioned.

"Yes, Master Hades." The raven-haired beauty responded in a monotone. "I played a minor role in the assessment. Nevertheless, Erza and Angel were able to use their magic to corner Naruto-kun and bring him to submission. I personally think Erza deserves the S-Class trial."

"Ultear!" Naruto chided and shot a glare of umbrage at his partner.

"I believe Ultear is right." Hades smirked in approval. "Erza is strong. It will be a waste of her talent to be a mere underling when she can rise through the ranks. Do you have a problem with that, Naruto?"

"I do."

"And what is that?" The guild master retorted. "Don't you find yourself a walking mess of contradiction? You said it yourself. She has become strong. That will settle it. Erza Scarlet shall commence her preparation for the S-Class trial."

"This is madness!"

"Is it?" Bluenote huffed haughtily. "We know that you have desires to protect her. But she is an asset to Grimoire Heart! This won't be overlooked! Erza will participate in the S-Class trial and become part of the Kin of Purgatory! And when Angel has flourished in strength, her turn will come."

"But-"

Hades raised a hand to silence the blond. "I don't understand what's with your vehemence, Naruto! You, too, have participated in the S-Class trial! And you have survived! What makes you think Erza can't? Are you belittling her capability? Or are you afraid that she might rise to power and take your mantle as leader of the Kin of Purgatory?"

"Nonsense!" Naruto refuted.

"Enough! I have enough of your impudence! I shall have none of this!" The deputy commander interrupted. "I think-"

The blond growled as malevolent flames ignited in his eyes. "I DON'T GIVE FUCK-SHIT OF WHAT YOU THINK! ERZA WILL NOT-"

Ultear snatched Naruto's wrist and dragged him away, not before bowing politely to her superiors. "Naruto-kun is not thinking right. Please forgive his outrage. I'll calm him down. I'm sure he will understand and reach to the same conclusion as you do, milord."

"Tear-chan, you-"

The raven-haired girl placed a finger on his lips and smiled deviously. "Follow me, Naruto-kun."

Hades subdued his wrath and glared at the slammed door. "That boy is starting to irk me."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Ultear pushed her companion to their chambers and caressed his cheek. "Calm down and let me explain, Naruto-kun."

"Explain? Explain what? You, of all people, know how dangerous that S-Class trial is! It's suicidal! You know how much I hated it when that old fuck decided to send you to the S-Class trial!" Naruto grasped Ultear's shoulders and yelled. "I don't want to lose you or any other of my friends! I can't lose Erza as well! I have lost mother. That day, I swore I would never let something like that happen ever again!"

The raven-haired girl retained a placid demeanour and kissed her partner's cheek. "I know you're afraid. But I did it for a reason."

"And what is that?"

"Because I told her to do so."

Naruto spun his attention to Erza, who was dressed in a revealing negligee and had an impish smirk curled at her glossy lips.

"Why? Are you out of your mind?" The blond anathematised. "Even my mastery over the Void-Make wasn't enough for me to complete the trial! I resorted in using my flames to win that fucked up shit! Do you know what that means? If it's a game, the difficulty level will be im-friggin'-possible! And even now, I suspected that the old goat was trying to kill me by throwing me into that hellhole of a trial!"

"But-"

The blond stroked her soft cheek and hissed. "You don't understand!"

"I don't want to be a burden to you!"

A silence intruded as Naruto studied Erza's hazel eyes, which were glowing with determination. "I don't want to be a burden to you, Naruto. I'm not that weak and hapless girl who begs for a saviour to come every single day in that godforsaken cell. I'm not her anymore. I have powers and I'm stronger now. I can survive the S-Class trial! I have confidence that I can pass the test. I want to prove to you. So please, trust me."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

Ultear coiled her arms around Naruto's waist and embraced his firm back. "You cannot keep protecting us like this forever. Erza is right. If she wants to be strong, she got to do this."

Naruto sighed and averted his gaze.

Erza brushed her fingers across Naruto's cheeks and felt his whisker marks on her velvet skin. "I only ask you to trust me. Just this once. I will complete the trial, become one of the Kin of Purgatory and stand equally with you. I have been training rigorously for this, Naruto! Please, I beg of you, trust me like you trust Ultear. I will come back to your side after everything is over. I promise you."

Naruto gritted his teeth. "I approve it, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna like it."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Hades was exuberant when Erza, who was dressed in her standard armour, had decided to pay him a visit in his private chamber. "So, have Naruto informed you about my proposal?"

Erza nodded with a solemn expression. "I have decided to prove my worthiness. Henceforth, I will participate in the S-Class trial."

The guild master surveyed the redhead for a peculiar moment before he broke into an elated crackle. "Very well then! Tomorrow, we shall execute our promotion ceremony in the Forest of Death! You will fight and survive through that forest like no other! You shall not be provided with rations, medical supplies or any necessities for survival. Your goal is to complete your quest in the duration of two days."

The redhead narrowed her eyes. "There must be a catch."

"Perceptive, my child." Hades chuckled. "At the end of your journey, you will find your objective. One of the members of the Kin of Purgatory. You will fight that person, dethrone that person and claim what's rightfully yours. It will be the zenith of your accomplishment. However, if you fail, you will die. That is all there is to it."

Erza unsheathed her blade and declared boldly. "I don't need to wait until tomorrow. I will do it now."

The malignant guild master smirked. "I always like that part of you, Erza. Let us begin."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Ultear plucked a piece of grape and chewed the delicious fruit sensually. _"Erza is strong, but not strong enough. She won't be able to survive the S-Class trial. She is foolish enough to be persuaded by my deception. She is not worthy to become Naruto-kun's wife. With her out of the picture, Naruto-kun belongsy to me."_

The raven-haired beauty smiled in felicity as she watched Naruto slumbering peacefully on her thigh. _"I won't let anybody take you away from me, Naruto-kun. Even if I have to betray my conscience and indulge in iniquity, I will do what must be done to keep you by my side. Erza is a hindrance. She is an obstacle that is standing in my way. I won't have it."  
_  
Ultear leaned towards Naruto and delivered a passionate kiss on his moist lips. _"When Erza dies, I will be there to comfort you. And if need be, I will offer you my chastity to secure our eternal bond. I cannot afford to lose you like how I lose my mother. I love you so much, Naruto."_

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Erza was transported to a sequestered island. The terrain was inhabited by various hostile monstrosities and served as a training facility. It was also the arena for candidates who aspired for a promotion within Grimoire Heart. She checked her equipment and smiled uneasily.

Erza limbered up before she marched into the jungle.

The sweltering weather was humid and she already felt sweats forming on her forehead. Her venture came to a halt as she noticed ripples scattering from a puddle of water on the ground. Erza studied the environment with vigilance. Her instincts suddenly went into overdrive as a pack of black wolves charged out from the rustling shrubs.

Materialising two swords in her grasp, Erza readied a fighting stance. "I don't want to hurt any of you…"

The wolves' drools spoke volumes of their desire. The redheaded knight took a deep breath before she jumped gracefully in the air. As if on cue, the predators lunged at their potential prey. Adroitly, Erza performed a beatific flip and sliced the approaching wolves in half. Landing elegantly on the soil, Erza beckoned the remnant of the wolf pack to her.

Channelling tamed magic in her forearm, Erza slammed her fist into the skull of a wolf, effectively crushing its head. The redheaded knight grunted as she dashed towards the last wolf, slid down the dirt path and thrust her blade into its snout. Erza panted as she pulled her sword out from her victim's carcass and winced at the scratched marks on her shin. "Damn it."

Ignoring the stinging pain from her bleeding wound, Erza stood up and sheathed her stained weapons. "It's just a scrape. I can do this."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Naruto jolted up from his slumber and gasped. He nursed his throbbing forehead and groaned. He was in his apartment complex; his residence was secluded from the guild's headquarter and his solitary lifestyles made him somewhat enigmatic. "W-What happened? I was talking to Tear-chan… and suddenly I-"

His eyes widened in stupor as he remembered Erza's examination. A spiral of blazing energy enwrapped his frame, illuminating the entire chamber before the light extinguished; Naruto was in his signature outfit, which consisted of a white chesterfield coat, an orange shirt under the jacket, a pair of suit pants and leather-trimmed derby shoes. Adjusting his coat's lapels, Naruto marched out of his chamber.

When he reached the hallway, he stumbled across Ultear who was holding a tray of steaming soup. "N-Naruto-kun? What are you doing? You should be resting in your bedroom. Here, I have prepared this bowl of herbal soup for you."

"I appreciate your kindness, Tear-chan, but I need to see that old man now!" Naruto strode past a vexing Ultear, who had unconsciously crushed the metallic tray with her grip.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

A humongous raptor roared as it darted towards the redheaded knight, dismantling nearby trees in the process. Dexterously, Erza evaded the whiplashes of the gigantic beast's tail with agile steps and was embraced by a black light. She adorned diabolical armours which sported draconic wings from her back and the magic augmented her strength. "It's time for you to meet your maker! Kureha no Yoroi!" **(Black Wing Armour)**

The knight cried before she pierced her blade through the raptor's spine. The beast twitched aggressively and hurled the redhead to a tree. Erza groaned as she pummelled to the ground and coughed. "What's with this monster? Is it immune to my attacks? Its scales are too tough! This monster must have some weaknesses! I gotta find it!"

Erza performed cartwheels and retreated from the descending claws of the enormous raptor. "Tenrin no Yoroi!" **(Heaven's Wheel Armour)**

Enveloped by a divine light, Erza was donned in adamantine silver armour. She sprouted her ethereal wings and soared in unimaginable velocity towards the gargantuan beast. With an almighty swing, she cleaved off the torso of the raptor with her swords. Overwhelmed by fatigue, Erza collapsed on the ground and her transcendental armour vaporised.

Regaining her bearing, she mustered her courage and swiped the blood off her blade. "I have to keep moving. It's getting dark."

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"This gotta stop!" Naruto growled as he observed Erza's trail through a broadcast from magical satellites. "The forest is too dangerous. I don't think she is mentally ready to complete this quest! I suggest we cancel her promotion and-"

"Foolishness, Naruto." Hades clicked his tongue in disapproval. "You have no faith."

Ultear seized her companion's wrist and cooed. "Master is right. Have faith with Erza. I was once like her. When I decided to take the trial, you were worried about me, but it was your faith that kept me moving. Right now, your faith is an important thing to her. What has been done cannot be undone. She must complete the S-Class trial."

Naruto sighed. "You… You are right, Tear-chan. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ultear returned her gaze back to the holographic screen, but hid her ominous smirk under the shadow. _"Now then, Erza, die for my sake!"_

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

The climate of the island was hazardous; during nightfall, there would be repugnant blizzards or erratic storms. Erza hugged her shivering body as she trudged into a cavern. She found a fire pit and scanned her vicinity, spotting no sign of danger. "Looks abandoned."

Rainwater dripped from the edge of the fractured dome and Erza hastily ambled towards the liquid source. The redhead collected the chilly water with her cupped hands and took sips from it. She was quivering vigorously, despite her desperate attempts to cease it. Hurriedly, she uncapped her zippo lighter and set the pit ablaze.

Abruptly, her instincts coerced her thoughts and she dodged a hail of arrows. A platoon of armed soldiers emerged within the tenebrous cave and fired shower of projectiles at the redhead.

Erza hid behind a sturdy rock and caught a glimpse of her opponents' uniform; it had her guild's insignia emblazoned on the fabric. "T-That's Grimoire Heart's logo! Is Master Hades trying to kill me?"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"That's bullshit!" Naruto roared as he glared at the guild master with disdain.

Hades grinned maliciously as he observed Erza struggling to formulate a feasible plan for a counterattack. "Naïve, Naruto! In order for Erza to become stronger, she must come to terms with killing. Right now, she is having a war. Should she go against her morals? Or should she maintain that fire of righteousness in her heart? Decisions, decisions."

Bluenote chugged down his liquor and chortled. "That girl's greatest weakness is her unwillingness to kill. Right now, our men are standing in her way. If she wants to win, she must cut down those people with her hands! She has no choice!"

"Then get her out of there! Now!" Naruto argued.

The deputy commander shook his head. "It is her decision to take the exam. These are obstacles that she must face in order for her to become a proud elites amongst our ranks! You want to stop her because you refuse to watch as she destroys that purity in her heart. Is that it?"

The blond scowled irately. "So what if I do?"

"You cannot undo what has been done, Naruto!" Hades yelled. "This exam will obliterate her innocence and make her blossom into an emotionless killer!"

"Damn it!" Naruto slammed his fist on the wall and growled. _"Erza-chan, I don't want you to participate in this ridiculous exam because I know something like this will happen. Damn it all!"_

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

Erza knew what must be done. Her path was obstructed. If she wished to survive and fulfilled her promise to Naruto, she would have to get her hand dirty, even if it meant going against her conscience. She seized Yoto Benisakura, a sacred blade forged by impenetrable steel, and retaliated against the arrows shot at her in rapidly precision.

_"They are standing in your way, Erza! Kill them!"_

She sliced through the volley of projectiles and plunged her sword into a goon's heart. Swiftly, she pulled out the blade and leaped into the air acrobatically before she bisected two foes in half. In the midst of rage, the swordswoman charged furiously towards the henchmen and eviscerated them.

_"They showed no mercy to you! Why should you forgive those who wanted you dead?"_

There was one assailant left.

_"Can you taste his fear, Erza? Take your sword and put him out of his misery! Do it!"_

Erza's eyes were dispassionate as she gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

"Don't do this, Erza-chan! Don't let that instinct overpower you! Fight it!" Naruto gritted his teeth as he watched the swordswoman strolled towards the retreating enemy. She was savouring the fear emanating from the terrified henchman. "There's no turning back, Erza-chan! You stick that sword into him and you-"

Hades, however, grinned. "Do it!"

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

With a demented cry, Erza stabbed her victim's skull with her sword. The macabre mess and blood splattered on her attire while a psychotic smirk tugged at her lips.

~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~.~.S*.o.*U*.o.*N.~

A cliffhanger, eh? Well, Erza has turned bat-shit insane! I don't really blame Ultear for her... mentality. I believe it is only logical. She assumed her mother threw her into some sick laboratory. Anybody who experienced that shit would turn insane. I say she has possessive personality disorder.

Undecided pairings:  
1.) NarutoXUltear Milkovich  
2.) NarutoXErza  
3.) NarutoXIkaruga  
4.) NarutoXMirajane  
5.) NarutoXCana  
6.) NarutoXMinerva  
7.) NarutoXKamika  
8.) NarutoXJuvia  
9.) NarutoXKagura Mikazuchi  
10.) NarutoXFlare Corona  
11.) NarutoXAngel  
12.) NarutoXEclair (From the movie)  
13.) NarutoXHarem

Please rate my story and review!


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